Chapter 6: Six: Summer Happenings
Petunia was having one of the best summers in over fifteen years. Apart from the start when her lovely little Duddykins had been attacked by that awful boy, Harry. A strange man once claiming to know her sister had dragged her son home. He had been cold, clammy, and uttering absolute gibberish. They had taken him to the hospital, but the doctors were clueless about what had affected him. Petunia knew it was something that freak did. Slowly Dudley had gotten better, and now he was, watching The Adventures of Pete and Pete on the television.
Vernon was sat on his sofa reading the Sunday Times like he loved to do. All was good in her world as she sat at the window looking into Mr So and So's window and watching Mrs Number Two's horrible children.
"Number Two's children are running around half-naked again, absolutely scandalous," Petunia told her husband, who grunted. Then, from a distance, she heard sirens. She wondered if there had been a fire in town.
"Bloody hell, they are sending the squaddies over to the European country, wassit called Bosnia. Should be sending them to Ireland," Vernon grumbled.
"Oh, Mrs Number Two has come out to tell her kids off," Petunia said excitedly, hoping to get some gossip for her next Community Meeting. Ha, she thought viciously, the police are coming to arrest you. The sirens she had heard were even louder.
"What the blazes is that noise?" Vernon cried, throwing down his paper. He looked at the TV, thinking it was on Dudley's show. The noise got louder.
"It's the police to arrest Mrs Number Two and those animals she calls children," Petunia says gleefully as she spotted a police car, van and then another police car pull into the street. However, her glee turns to a frown as the police pull up outside her house. She doesn't notice the unmarked car pulling up in front of the police cars. She begins to panic as several officers get out of the vehicle. She now sees Mr So and So looking out his window in her direction. The other Evan's from down the road are looking at the police cars. She sees the boy with a broad smile on his face. A knock on the door had Vernon cursing and Petunia going white as a ghost.
"Who the devil is that on a Sunday afternoon?" Vernon managed to get his walrus-shaped body off the sofa and stomped to the door, opening it to find a smartly dressed man. Vernon barely noticed the police van behind him. "No, we are not buying anything."
"Are you Mr Vernon Dursley of 4 Privet drive?" the man asked.
"Yes, you're standing in my doorway," grumbled Vernon, the nerve of some people. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Detective Chief Inspector Andy Rodham of the Surrey Police. May we come in?" DCI Rodham looked at the whale of the man as he went from puce to pale in ten seconds flat.
"Erm, yes, come in," Vernon invited the man in. A second man entered, followed by a woman in a pantsuit.
"Before anything happens, we'd like to ask you a few questions if we may," DCI Rodham spoke.
"Of course, Petunia, why don't you make a cup of tea for our visitors," Vernon said nervously, "We are law-abiding citizens, so I'm sure your visit is a mistake."
"I'm sure," Rodham said patronisingly, "There is no need for tea, Mrs Dursley. Oh, I'd like to introduce my colleagues, Chief Superintendent Rose of the Surrey Police and a Special Consultant, Amelia Bones,"
"Pleasure to meet you," Vernon gulped. Chief Superintendent was near the top ranks, so this was incredibly important. Petunia flicked off the tv and stood by Dudley, who had shuffled off his fat bum. She noticed the woman, Amelia, was looking around, especially at the pictures. She was beginning to get a strange feeling about the woman.
"Now, Mr Dursley, is a Master Harry Potter related to you?" DCI Rodham asked, looking through his notes.
"I, erm, not sure," Vernon gulped.
"I'll remind you; things might be worse for you if you lie," DCS Rose added.
"Are you related to a Harry Potter?" Rodham asked again.
"Yes, he is my wife's nephew," Vernon answered.
"According to Social Services, he lives at this address. Is this true?"
"Yes!" Vernon spat out.
"Where is he?" Rose asked mildly.
"We don't know, Sir. He ran away about a month ago after he beat up our son," Vernon lied. Both policemen looked at the fat boy in disbelief, "You see, he's a criminal. He attends St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys from September until June."
"I have him attending a prestigious private school in Scotland," DCI Rodham flipped through his notes.
"He's a freak!" Dudley blurted, only to be silenced by his mother.
"I beg your pardon, son?" DCSI Rose looked at the boy, astonished. The boxer pulled his mother's hand away.
"He's a wizard, does magic and all." The three police officers tried not to laugh.
"That's a bit fanciful," Amelia told the boy patiently.
"You're one of them, a witch!" Petunia's eyes widened.
"Now see here, that's very rude!" DCS Rose shouted, annoyed at these disgusting people.
"Are you sure the boy has run away?" Rodham was getting a little angry; he was going to crack these abusers.
"Yes, Sir!" Vernon resolutely stuck to his story.
"Would it make you upset that Harry Potter was admitted into a hospital in London last night with horrific historic abuse up to one month ago?" DCI Rodham finally told them of his reasoning for being there.
"Everything he says is a lie; he's a delusional criminal," Vernon finally broke, knowing his life was about to change irrevocably.
"At this time, Vernon Dursley, we are arresting you for abusing a minor. You do not have to say anything. It may harm your defence if you do not mention something you later rely on in court when questioned. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. We will allow you time to contact your solicitor when we get to the station," Rodham read the man his rights as he pulled out his handcuffs.
"Where are you taking my little duddikins?" Petunia screeched as Rose began to read the woman her rights. Another officer had come in and was taking away the teen.
"He will be questioned and then placed in a Youth Offender's facility until his court date," Rose answered. Then the three were led away, taken to three separate vans. Before Vernon was placed in the truck, he heard the Chief Superintendent say:
"Tear the house apart; I was every bit of evidence that will put these monsters away for life."
Harry felt like the summer was going far too quickly. He had spent the night in St Mungo's getting any needed treatment. First, he had to drink vile potions to be inoculated against some of the worse magical diseases. Then Harry had spent a horrible night with the pains of growing bones. When the teen returned to Hárasteorra Hall, he had a regime of potions to take. Not to mention Sirius now had him exercising every day, running around the grounds. He had grown several inches and put on weight.
A week before the court case, Harry was again in the library with Draco. They still insulted one another, but it lacked the venom it once did. Harry and Draco had been reading the book on dark curses. Though it did not have the incantations, the book was thousands of years old. Remus had yet to notice it missing.
"Today, we are going to learn about Betrothal contracts. Though some more progressive houses do not use them, they have played some important parts in history," Narcissa explained, naming several examples where Betrothal contracts have saved a House from dying or created an excellent business deal.
"So, have the Black family been involved in Betrothal Contracts?" Harry asked.
"They are one of the oldest traditional families," Draco sneered at the other teen. Narcissa gave her son a pointed look.
"Actually, Lucius was contracted to be married to my sister, Andromeda," Narcissa told them casually. Draco and Harry's mouths dropped open in shock. "However, before they could go through with the marriage, she ran away with Ted, so the contract was re-written for me."
"Are there any live Betrothal contracts?" Harry asked. Narcissa looked around nervously while Draco went bright red before speaking up.
"My father signed a contract with Cyrus Greengrass ten years ago. I am to wed his daughter Astoria."
"Astoria?" Harry tried to remember a girl called Astoria, but he could barely remember Daphne Greengrass.
"She is a third-year Slytherin and looks very similar to her sister," Draco explained.
"Your father made a contract when you were five to a three-year-old!" Harry looked at them, astonished.
"There have been Betrothal contracts written up at birth," Narcissa told them gently.
"That is absolutely disgusting."
"As I said, Betrothal Contracts can be an excellent thing, sometimes love can come from a contract and sometimes something exceptional," Narcissa looked at Draco.
"Has Sirius been through the Black vaults and found any contracts?" Harry asked jokingly but shut up when he saw Narcissa's face. She looked at Draco before she spoke.
"Sirius wants to break your contract when he has my marriage annulled, citing the fact no Head of Black House signed off on the deal." Draco looked down at the news.
"How do you feel about Astoria?" she asked softly.
"She's funny and clever but not exactly my choice of partner," Draco admitted gulping. Harry, usually oblivious, realised Draco had just come out to his mother. Harry was not sure how he felt about Draco being homosexual; his uncle and cousin were fiercely against it. He shook his head as he listened to Narcissa talking again.
"Dragon, you will always be my son. I will be happy for whoever you date," Narcissa smiled at her son. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief, noticing the smile that Draco was trying to stop on his face.
"That is good, mother," the teen returned formally.
"Smile, for Merlin's sake. You are so bloody stiff."
"You are such a peasant, Black," Draco sniffed, then broke into a huge grin. Narcissa continued with the lesson talking over several different types of betrothal contracts, from the iron-clad ones to Contracts that could be exacted hundreds of years later. It was nearing lunchtime when a chime sounded, indicating someone was at the Floo.
"I wonder who that could be; Sirius did not tell me he was expecting anyway," Harry spoke aloud. While he was still getting used to Sirius being his father, some days, he thought it was a cruel trick fate was playing on him. He had only called him Dad once. Then, as Draco was about to reply, one of the younger elves popped into the library.
"Master Harry, Lord Grossmont is in the Parlour waiting for you," the elf squeaked. Sirius was out of the house, showing his face at Grimmauld Place, which left Harry in charge of the Manor House.
"Thank you, Noj. Please can you bring some refreshments to the drawing room," Harry told the small creature, then turned to Draco. "Come on, Dray, time to make nice."
"I am always nice. Call me Dray again, and I will push you off your broomstick," the boy grumbled as he followed Harry out of the library. Narcissa smiled; she was worried when she first arrived that the pair would kill each other after four year's rivalry. But she was pleasantly surprised that the pair had become friends, though the two would deny it if asked.
"Lord Grossmont, welcome to Hárasteorra Hall," Harry greeted the other boy, as he had been taught when he entered the parlour.
"Thank you, My Lord. It is a pleasure to see you again," Neville replied just as formally. Harry broke into a grin and pulled the boy into a hug.
"Am I glad to see you, my friend? I have only had to put up with the troublesome twosome and this whiner for the last few weeks," Harry dropped the noble act, pointing in the direction of Draco.
"I do not whine!" whined Draco.
"Case in point," Harry nodded as if that settled everything. "Now, what are you doing here?"
"Your father," Neville shook his head, "That's weird saying that,"
"Imagine going through it."
"Anyway, Sirius invited me over to keep you both company,"
"I am surrounded by Gryffindor's," Draco muttered, following the pair into the drawing room with several portraits adorning the walls. The chairs were comfortable in there. If Harry was not in the library, he was usually settled in front of the fire reading. Harry could not wait to show Hermione the library. Now, why did he think about Hermione suddenly? One of the elves popped in with some butterbeer and a selection of chocolates from Honeydukes.
"Erm, I do not mean to be rude, but how is Malfoy in your home with you? You do not appear to have injured each other." Neville looked Harry over as if he were under the Imperius curse.
"Actually, we get on pretty well. I took on what you said last time we spoke," Harry replied.
"What did you say?" Draco asked suspiciously, taking a sip from his butterbeer.
"That you are not as bad as you seem. I do not even think you believe half the stuff that your father tells you," Neville told him.
"It has been an interesting couple of weeks. I have learnt a few truths that have made me realise some things," Draco admitted.
"Oh man, that was like pulling a needle from my eye," Harry said dramatically. After seeing the Healer's, Harry visited a Mind Healer, who helped him deal with everything. His nightmares grew less frequent, and he felt much freer than ever. He would not admit it but being with Draco had helped. The blond boy certainly felt like a friend, even family. The boy in question threw a pillow at Harry's head, who giggled at him.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Harry?" Neville goggled at the brunette; he had never seen him so relaxed.
"I have been seeing a Mind Healer," Harry admitted, "I am starting to feel somewhat normal."
"You will never be normal, Black. At least Remus convinced you to change those stupid glasses and get decent clothes," Draco teased the other boy.
"You're hilarious, Malfoy," Harry bit back. Neville looked between the two, shaking his head. "Come on, Nev, let's tour the Manor."
"Sure." Neville followed Harry out onto the grounds of the castle. They saw the stables where Harry threw Buckbeak several mice"The last I heard; Sirius Black was a criminal on the run."
"First, how exactly did you come here?" Harry asked, curious himself.
"A couple of days after we met up at Twilfitt and Tatting's, I had been working in my Greenhouses when grandmother called for me. Callidora, my great-grandmother, had just finished a meeting with her, and my grandmother was fuming. She sat me down to explain that I was not to look in Dumbledore's eyes and, if I was called to a meeting with him, request that McGonagall be there," Neville told his tale, "and then she went on to ask me what I knew about the Duke of Anglia and his heir. So, I told her about meeting you."
"Don't worry, I think the Longbottom's are a good ally," Harry replied after several weeks of reading about Nobles and their families. Neville stopped and looked at Harry so seriously that Harry blinked.
"I know the Longbottom's have always been staunch allies with the Potters, but we are brothers in all but blood," Neville said fiercely. "I know we have not been the closest friends for the last several years, but we should have been brothers. I, Neville Frank Longbottom, Marquess of Grossmont, last of the Longbottom line, pledge my sword and my wand to the House of Black, especially Harry Black, heir of the House of Black."
"Wow!" Harry muttered before grasping Neville's arm. "I, Harry Antares Black, Heir to the House of Black, will honour your pledge and pledge my own sword and wand should my brother ever call on me."
Magic tingled through the air as they pledged friendship and loyalty to one another, making the two teens look at each other in awe.
"So, tell me, how do you get on with Malfoy?" Neville asked, breaking the tension as they began to walk around the gardens.
"Surprisingly well, at first, I was wary of him, but he is trying to change. You are right; he had the pressure of his father leaning on him, not to mention being watched by some darker students," Harry considered as they walked.
"What have you been up to the last few weeks since summer began? You never did tell me how you came to be here properly," Neville asked curiously.
"I was attacked by Dementors at the beginning of summer. Sirius found me and bought me to Hárasteorra Hall to recover because the attack unleashed my magic," He explained.
"Oh wow, that's crazy," Neville said.
"Tell me about it, but we went to the continent last week. We met up with Fleur Delacour. Do you remember her?" Harry asked her friend, who blushed a bright red.
"I do."
"Well, they are considering sending their youngest daughter to Hogwarts, though we may have talked them out of it," Harry described his mini-European adventure, "We also met the King of the Vampires."
"You lived to tell the tale?"
"They are not particularly bad; some of the worse clans were thrown off the vampire council for siding with Voldemort. Most of the European clans want to be left alone," Harry sympathised with the people he had met high up in the Alps. Harry took Neville through the Greenhouses; the other boy despaired at how they had been left but promised to return.
"This really is a castle."
"You should see the curtain wall; Hárasteorra Hall is a defensible castle. You cannot Apparate through the Wards; you must arrive at the guardhouse, where two Elves are always stationed." Harry described the castle.
"How are the Wards able to cover such a large area?" Neville asked.
"Sirius explained it all to me, I cannot remember much, but I think he said we are on some sort of magical meeting point, which means the Wards use little family magic to feed them. We are under a Fidelius Charm, too, so only Blood can find the place; even Remus must be connected to one of us to arrive here."
"How is it being with just Remus, Sirius and Narcissa? Do you miss Ron and Hermione?" Neville asked as they entered the house. Once again, Harry squirmed at Hermione's name; the feeling had been getting stronger every day.
"Sirius is excellent; I have seen memories of when he was a teenager. He was a bully like James, but he has matured. I think the Mind Healer has helped him a lot as well, it will take months, even years, to fully heal from Azkaban, but he is well on his way," Harry answered, "as for Ron and Hermione, of course; I miss them."
"Have-" Harry would never hear the question because as they emerged back into the central part of the manor, Sirius emerged from the parlour with a frown.
"Hello, you two."
"Your Grace," Neville bowed to the older man.
"None of that here, Lord Grossmont. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine," Sirius swept the boy into a bear hug before turning to Harry, "how's the Animagus training coming along?"
"You're training to become an Animagus?" Neville asked.
"Actually, I have stopped; I kept reacting to the plant in my mouth," Harry explained to the pair, "Some people are not meant to be Animagus."
"That is true. I would rather you whole and healthy than sick," Sirius told him.
"Instead, I'm working on further developing my Empathy," Harry said, getting a smile from Sirius and a confused look from Neville.
"What's Empathy?"
"It is a rare form of magic, usually from the Black line, which allows the person to see several types of magic and creatures. I am still a beginner, but if I become efficient with it, I might be able to tell who a werewolf or vampire is," Harry explained.
"Wow, that is some talent; the Ministry would pay thousands of Galleons for that gift," Neville gasped.
"It is quite rare and a secret Family gift," Sirius told the boy.
"I will not say anything," Neville promised.
"Now, Remus told me you have been doing well with your Duelling, so I want to see you duel."
"Now?" Harry asked as Sirius led the two teens downstairs to the Duelling chamber. When they reached the large room, Remus and Draco were already there.
"I want to see you duel Draco." The boy in question was already stretching, wearing baggy trousers and a tee shirt. Draco knew he looked like a muggle but found the clothing quite comfortable. Harry looked to Neville, who shrugged before taking off his outer robes. He had been wearing comfortable clothing today. Neville came up beside Remus and Sirius as the pair powered up the shield charm for spectators.
"I want you to use all that you have learnt, but I want a clean match," Remus stated. "Are you ready?"
"Yep," Harry returned.
"Ready to take him down."
"You've been watching far too many Muggle TV shows," Harry grinned.
"1,2,3 go," Remus cried.
"Expelliarmus," Harry shouted first, aiming his wand true.
"Protego," Draco returned, lazily calling up his shield, causing the disarming charm to rebound off the shield and disappear above them. "Rictusempra."
"Shit," Harry swore before diving out of the way, not bringing his own shield up.
"Reducto," Draco cried out, barely missing Harry by inches.
"This is very serious," Neville stated, nervous for his friend.
"After Harry's time in the Graveyard before the summer, we decided the pair needed to practise real-life situations," Remus patiently explained to the Longbottom heir.
"Nebulus," Harry shouted as a swirling fog began to hide the boy from view. Neville could not see either boy as the mist was contained to the duelling area.
"Ventus," came Draco's voice, causing a mighty wind to push away the fog, nearly causing Harry to go over. Draco smirked before flourishing his wand at the other teen. Abruptly Harry was being dangled upside down by his ankles. He remembered this spell from the memories. Snape must be teaching the Slytherin a thing or two.
"That's Levicorpus, a non-verbal spell," Remus explained.
"Draco must be pretty strong to be able to do that non-verbally," Neville commented.
"Both the teens are quite magically talented, though I do not think they will ever be as strong as Dumbledore or Voldemort," Sirius added his two-pence worth. Seconds later, Harry came crashing down, lying in a heap on the floor.
"Ah, Liberacorpus, the counter curse."
"I yield," Harry grumbled as Draco moved towards him threateningly.
"About time I finally knocked you on your butt," Draco laughed as he went over to help the brunette up; about the same time, a chime went off.
"Ah, that would be my surprise," Sirius told them, setting off for the parlour.
"I know it was not a long battle, but go and have a quick shower, then meet us in the dining room," Remus told them, followed by Neville.
Ten minutes later, Harry and Draco entered the dining room to find Sirius, Narcissa, Neville and a tall woman.
"Harry, Draco, I would like you to meet Lady Selwyn," Sirius introduced the pair to the woman. As an equal in standing to the House of Black, Harry gave her a nod and kissed her hand. Draco did the same; she nodded her head slightly at the two heirs.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both; I have heard lots about you, especially you, young Master Black," Madam Selwyn spoke in a rich tone. Then Harry noticed some shallow wooden boxes with dividers in them. But unfortunately, they were covered over with white clothes.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"We have heard from Regent Longbottom that Neville requires a new wand more suited to his talents. So, it was suggested Draco and you got yourself a second wand, one that does not have the trace on it." Narcissa nodded her head in agreement.
"That sounds great," Neville was the first to speak up, getting a nod from Draco and Harry.
"So, we can proceed?" Sirius asked the three boys, who nodded. Sirius nodded at the witch, who looked at them all in turn.
"You, Heir Longbottom, will go first," Madam Selwyn directed the boy in front of the various artefacts. She pulled the cloth away to reveal a selection of woods on the left and multiple types of cores on the right. "Put out your hand. Stop when it begins to feel warm."
Neville looked nervously at the witch before stepping up to the table; he closed his eyes, putting out his hand. He moved his hand over the wood until he stopped over a light-coloured piece of wood.
"Ah, relatively uncommon, Willow, but it will suit you," she moved him over slightly, so he didn't open his eyes, then began the same process again. A couple of minutes later, he hovered above several grey hairs, "Now this is a surprise, the Greyling Bear; Gentle but incredibly strong. It suits you, Master Longbottom,"
"Thank you," the teen replied shyly, allowing Draco to step up to the table. He grinned at the other two teens and closed his eyes, placing his hand before him. Then, like Neville before him, he slowly began to 'walk' through the woods. Narcissa expected him to pick out Hawthorne once again. But she noticed he went straight past that, stopping on deep brown wood.
"Very unusual indeed, the Silver Limewood. You will have a gift for Seeing or Legilimency," Madam Selwyn proclaimed, then nudged the boy to continue searching for its core. It felt to Harry that it took forever for Draco to stop, but he did on some white material. "Ah, the spine of the White River Monster. You certainly do have an elegance about you."
"Your turn, Black," Draco shoved the brunette forward, who looked over each of the artefacts with trepidation.
"These are not your standard materials, are they?" the teen asked.
"I am not Ollivander; I collaborate with more specialist material. That is why His Grace has called me here. I can already see your friends will be forces to be reckoned with, but we already know you are powerful."
"Go on, Harry." Neville urged his new brother. Harry closed his eyes, trying to practice his Occlumency, breathing in and out evenly. Placing his hand above the wood, he began to move, feeling slightly chilled as his arm moved, left to right. Then a sudden warmth blossomed up his arm, making him stop. He heard a slight gasp from somewhere.
"Applewood. My, Master Black, you have some high aims and ideals," Selwyn explained.
"Saving people," Draco coughed, no doubt earning a glare from his mother. Then, he felt another touch, so he began moving his hand over the other side. Again, he felt like he was going through the artefacts until he suddenly heard parseltongue slip through his mind like a musical instrument.
"Wow!" Neville muttered, so Harry opened his eyes to find a horn that seemed almost worn and frail.
"The horn of a basilisk. As far as I am aware the last person to have this core was Salazar Slytherin."
"Another reason to be called a freak," Harry muttered.
"My only issue is that this is the only Basilisk horn I have; it may not marry well with the Applewood because it is so old," Selwyn told them, disappointed.
"I may know where you could get some fresh Basilisk Horn," Harry voiced his thoughts, making the others look at him strangely. Then, he told them about his adventure in the Chamber of Secrets and killing the Basilisk.
"It may have decayed; it depends on how cold it is down there," Selwyn said. "You realise that this could be worth millions. The basilisk parts used today are over a thousand years old."
"Well, I do not need much more money," Harry shrugged.
"We will contact the Goblins; they may be able to sort out a deal and possibly extract the beast as well," Sirius suggested.
"You will still need me to get into the Chamber of Secrets."
"Hmm, I'll consider that when I speak to the Goblins," Sirius was unsure about letting the teen go down there again, especially after what he had just been told. "How long before you can finish the wands?"
"Once I have the Basilisk horn, perhaps two weeks," Selwyn answered, "Would you like me to whittle your own wands to match?"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well, Master Longbottom does not have a suitable wand, but you already own a wand; Master Malfoy has Hawthorn with unicorn hair core. Master Black, yours is Holly with a phoenix core," Selwyn surprised them with her knowledge of their wands. "Creating a wand is about letting the magic guide you; often, I find that wands have shapes and even animals on them."
"Wow, that's amazing,"
"Could you do that here? I would rather not see Harry's wand in another's hand; no offence meant," Sirius looked over at the woman.
"Yes, when I bring the wands to you, I will carve your other wands. It does not take long as your wands are already finished,"
"Good, then I will escort you out," Sirius thanked the woman as she tidied her artefacts away. Narcissa led the other adults out once the woman was finished discussing local events.
"Well, that was certainly interesting," Neville was the first to speak.
"Yes, it was, but I do not know if I am going to be a Seer," Draco added.
"The day you divine the future is the day Goyle beats Hermione in a test," Harry joked. The three boys all looked at each other and laughed.
Chapter 7: Seven: Basilisk's, Birthdays and Cases
A few days after Selwyn's visit, Harry found himself at Hogwarts, hidden under the invisibility cloak, next to Remus. Professor McGonagall and Snape were in the hall. Behind Remus was a team of goblins who looked distinctly bored.
"Could you not have done this when Dumbledore was here?" the Scottish woman asked, clearly a little agitated.
"No, I was asked if we could get it done today," Remus responded patiently.
"We have very limited time." Duggat had taken on the role of leading the expedition.
"Will Hogwarts be receiving any of the value of the creature?" the Deputy Headmistress was keen for some Galleons to help Hogwarts.
"Harry won by right of conquest; I am told he is having half of the conquest and giving half to the victims of the Basilisk," Remus replied, itching to get a move on.
"That little brat doesn't deserve anything," Severus snapped.
"Shut up, you overgrown bat," Remus gritted his teeth.
"Have you heard from Harry? I am terribly worried about him." Indeed, McGonagall was wringing her hands nervously. Remus had never seen the woman like this before; she may not be as under Dumbledore's ministrations as they thought.
"He is fine, hiding away after the Dementors attacked him."
"How are you going to get into the Chamber? I heard only Potter can get in," Snape demanded.
"The goblins have their ways, Severus," Remus answered as casually as possible.
"Time is Money." Duggat shifted the intricately carved staff, with the crystal on, before looking at the two humans. "Are we going to harvest this Basilisk or not?"
"Yes, if you will excuse us," Remus nodded politely towards the pair before starting his journey towards the girls' bathroom, which Harry had told him about earlier.
"I want to be there when you harvest," Severus demanded at the back of Lupin.
"This is official goblin business; as we do not know how safe this will be, we cannot allow others to come with us. Only the client or client's trusted assistant may come," Duggat, who was some two-foot shorter than the potions master, stood before him impatiently. Reluctantly Snape moved away, and then the group all made their way into the bathroom. Once they were all inside, one of the goblins began muttering in Ghukliak at the door.
"You may come out now, Lord Rendlesham. The door has been sealed." Harry emerged from the cloak and immediately walked over to the sink. He stared at the tiny snake, then hissed at the sink. It sunk into the ground revealing a black hole.
"Erm, we slid down there," the goblins looked at him with something akin to astonishment if their stoic faces could do that.
"I am sure Salazar had a better way of getting down," Remus suggested. Harry shrugged and once more looked at the snake.
"§Ladder, Slide, erm, Stairs§," the first two tries failed, but the third go allowed them to hear a rumble. Then before their eyes, was a set of spiral stairs. Twelve goblins were in the bathroom with three holding staffs like Duggat. There were three that appeared to be warriors, wearing leather armour, and carrying different types of weapons. One had a battle axe at the ready, while another had a sword sheathed but looked ready to use it; the final one had a halberd. The remaining five were all carrying leather backpacks.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, the goblins' staff lit up like a permanent Lumos charm. The four were arranged through the party. Duggat took the lead with two warriors, followed by Harry and Remus. Harry had been too preoccupied to notice how cold it was before. Remus was fascinated by the carvings on the stone walls. Soon they had reached the snakeskin, perfectly pristine and appearing poisonous green.
"You did not tell us about this when we signed the contract!" Duggat sounded disapproving, as though Harry had personally lied to him.
"I had forgotten," Harry replied.
"Well, this will change the contract," he muttered before directing two of the goblins to begin harvesting it. One of the guards stayed with the collectors as they moved around the snakeskin to see the cave with the hole large enough to fit an eleven- or twelve-year-old child. Remus stepped forward, muttering some incantation. Slowly, the rocks began to move. Before Harry knew it, an arched entranceway was reinforced.
"Thank you, Steward Lupin," Duggat told him politely. Remus looked exasperated at the teen beside him, who shrugged, grinning at him. They followed the goblin as the tunnel turned, then turned again. Memories were starting to creep in as he remembered the horrors he had already faced. Finally, the tunnel ended as they moved past another bend. Ahead of the group was a solid wall on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds. Duggat motioned him forward as, once again, Harry looked into the surprisingly alive green eyes.
"§Open§." The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, and the halves slid smoothly out of sight. Duggat and his warriors took the lead as Harry took a breath, following Remus. It was how Harry remembered it, towers rising above him into the darkness etched with serpents. The greenish gloom still filled the cavern-like space as Harry led them towards the snake, which lay silent at the base of Salazar Slytherin's statue.
"These are simply amazing; there are several scholars I know that would love to take a look in this cavern," Remus spoke, his voice little more than a whisper as he looked at the illuminated columns. Immediately after the goblins set to work, two goblins removed staffs half the size of the light staff Duggat was holding. They placed four of them in a square, and then the lights lit red. Remus' curiosity got the better of him.
"What are these?" the marauder asked as the three goblins began removing containers from their bags. The bags were like a Tardis, Harry thought because they kept drawing container after container, some as large as barrels.
"They are transporters; there is a corresponding set in the Supply Hall under Gringotts," Duggat answered; he seemed more amiable than the Black account manager.
"What's going to happen to the materials?" Harry asked curiously.
"Per our agreement, some of the material will go to the Black Trust vault, while the rest will be taken by our export team, who will sell them on. Obviously, once our fifteen per cent charge comes out of the money, we will give you any remaining profit."
"Interesting."
"Are you considering a career with Gringotts?" Duggat asked, slyly looking at the boy as he oversaw the workers.
"One of my friends," Harry swallowed, not sure if Ron was still his friend, "his brother works for Gringotts as a Curse-breaker."
"Ah yes, William Weasley, he is one of our rising stars." The goblins were quick and efficient, salvaging all the parts they could from the giant snake in over three hours. The other team had returned with the snakeskin sending it off to Gringotts. Finally, the group, except for Duggat, Remus and Harry, were left. Duggat snapped his fingers, making the transport devices vanish on their own before following the two humans out of the Chamber of Secrets, the door closing behind them with a thud. Soon, they reached the top of the stairs, and the sink was closed.
"Hello, Harry," a flirty female voice said.
"Erm, hello, Myrtle," Harry replied awkwardly as Duggat began taking down the goblin wards.
"I see you didn't die down there," She floated in front of him.
"Sorry, Myrtle, not this time," he shrugged, "but can you do me a massive favour?"
"Anything for you." Myrtle brushed past him as Remus tried not to laugh.
"Can you keep it a secret that I was here?" Harry asked.
"Of course, I can. Please come to visit me soon," She replied as Harry slipped on the invisibility cloak, hiding him as Duggat pushed through the door. Remus and Harry followed behind, quickly making their way through Hogwarts until they reached the entrance hall again. McGonagall stepped out of the shadows as Duggat continued without saying goodbye.
"How did it go, Remus?" she asked.
"Pretty well, the goblins are pretty happy with the haul," he responded.
"Good, how is Harry really? I heard about the dementors and was terrified for him," McGonagall asked.
"He is doing fine, well looked after," Remus nearly added 'by his father.'
"Look, be careful. Albus has been acting strangely lately," she spoke quietly, looking around for listeners.
"Stranger than usual?"
"I've caught him staring at some of the instruments that monitor Harry," the woman cautioned, then added, "he has been worrying about the loss of Madam Pomfrey after her sudden family emergency. He also cannot get a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year."
"Thank you for worrying, but Harry is hidden and cared for," Remus responded, then wished her goodbye. Once they were close to the Wards, Harry spoke up.
"What did she mean 'the instruments that monitor Harry'?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledore has a shelf full of instruments that are supposed to monitor you, health etc. But I heard recently that most of them stopped working, probably the day you took your heir ring," Remus explained, "Now hold on tight."
Harry grabbed Remus's arm clear of the Wards as the man apparated them away from Hogsmeade. Moments later, they were stood in the entranceway of Hárasteorra Hall with Harry pulling off his robe.
"Remus, Harry, is that you?" Narcissa's voice called out.
"Yes, just got back from Hogwarts," Remus answered unnecessarily.
"Can you join us in the drawing room?" Harry looked at the werewolf, bewildered, before following him. Then, at the doorway, Remus quickly moved out of the way as Harry entered.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" It sounded like a hundred people. Harry noticed the Black family, including Callidora and Andromeda, with her family. Draco and Narcissa were, of course, there. The sixteen-year-old then saw Neville and a stiff older woman.
"We know you didn't have a proper birthday, so we thought we could have one today," Sirius told him, receiving a massive hug from the boy in question. A table had been set up with presents behind them, while another table had finger foods on it. Harry began to greet and thank everyone. When he moved to Neville, Harry looked up at the formidable lady in a vulture hat.
"This is my daughter-in-law, the Regent Longbottom, Augusta," Callidora introduced the woman. Callidora had taken quite a shine to the teen in the weekly meetings they had been having.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Longbottom," Harry bowed, kissing her hand slightly.
"This one knows how to treat the ladies. I am pleased to meet you, Lord Rendlesham," Harry looked at Callidora as if questioning how Augusta Longbottom knew. Still, the old woman just nodded, "Your mother was a close friend of Alice's. I was sorry to hear about Lily's death though I was surprised to hear she died alongside James Potter."
"Grandmother," Neville looked at the older woman in horror.
"What? Alice used to talk to me, especially about how Lily seemed interested in young Sirius Black." Sirius was trying not to laugh as he grabbed Harry's shoulders.
"Right, I think someone should open their presents." There were two dozen presents on the table. Harry had only seen that many gifts for Dudley on his birthday.
"Are these for me?" Harry looked almost awed.
"Well, they certainly ain't for me, Cousin," Dora quipped, getting a smack around the head from her dad.
"Go on, Harry, they are all for you," Remus spoke gently, prodding the boy to his presents. How cruel were the Muggles if Harry never got any birthday gifts? Remus thought angrily. As Harry opened some new quidditch presents, Sirius pulled him aside. Narcissa and Andromeda joined them as they all watched the teen from where they could talk without being overheard.
"How did it go today?" Sirius asked.
"He was nervous going in, but by the end, he was even joking around a bit," Remus told the three Blacks.
"Any trouble getting in?" Narcissa asked.
"No, Snape had a tantrum, but there was nothing they could really do. Unhappy about Dumbledore not being there. However, I do not think Professor McGonagall is quite on Dumbledore's side as she appeared."
"Why is that?" Sirius asked.
"She cautioned me about Dumbledore; he's worried about not having a DADA teacher and that Pomfrey left for a 'family' emergency," Remus explained.
"How is she getting on?" Narcissa looked at her sister.
"Better. I was hoping she could rest at Étoile Noire after she had fully recovered, then join us if the fight's going to get as serious as we expect."
"I'm sure that will be fine," Sirius answered, watching Harry open a watch (His had broken during the second task) and beam at Sirius.
"I heard an interesting bit of information today," Andromeda told the small group, "The Muggle-born Rights act is being backed by Dolores Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy."
"Dolores Umbridge? I do not think I have heard of her," Sirius commented.
"She is the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, a disgusting little toad," Narcissa visibly shuddered. "Pretends she is as pure as they come."
"We may have to do something sooner regarding Miss Granger; there is talk of adding a Muggle-born Registration," Andromeda added. The Healer heard Harry talk about the girl so many times that she felt like she knew the Muggle-born student.
"How is Fudge letting this go through?" Sirius asked, frustrated.
"Lucius is paying him 'donations.'" Narcissa snorted.
"The balance in the Wizengamot is towards the Dark at the moment, the neutrals have nowhere to go because of Dumbledore, but even the House of Potter proxy has been voting more for the side of the dark," Remus said, having received some information from some of those that serve on the Wizengamot.
Meanwhile, Harry had about finished opening all the presents, except for a few that looked like they had come from the Weasleys and Hermione.
"Where did these come from?" Harry looked around.
"They were delivered to the mailbox at Gringotts on your birthday, I know Hedwig was itching to leave, but we couldn't risk Dumbledore finding out where you were," Sirius concluded the talk and answered Harry's question.
"Even with the Fidelius and magic surrounding this place?" was Harry's sceptical question.
"More than likely, he would not be able to find you, but we had to make sure," Remus added, "We did find out the presents had a charm on them, though, a location charm."
"Oh," Harry dropped the present from Ron by the way it was wrapped.
"The charms are all gone now."
"Do you think Ron and Hermione allowed Dumbledore to put the charm on their presents? They did not write to me before I went into hiding," came the bitter reply.
"Dumbledore is very manipulative. I am sure he talked them into it somehow," Sirius tried to cheer up his son.
"Smile, you berk. At least you can open my present," Draco drawled, shoving an elegantly wrapped present into Harry's hand.
"Actually, it is from both of us, dear," Narcissa smiled at him. He gave her a tentative smile, unwrapping it carefully. Inside was a forest green coloured cashmere jumper with warm knitted gloves in grey and silver, Harry noted, and a beanie-type hat to keep his head warm.
"Thank you so much, both of you. This really is nice of you," Harry looked at them, surprised at the amount of thought they had put into the present.
"That'll sit nicely next to that suit by Verlinde," Sirius spoke up with a grin.
"It's Versace, you slobbering mongrel," Harry laughed at the man, who immediately changed into his grim form and then pounced on the boy knocking him over. Padfoot then proceeded to drool all over the teen. Everybody was laughing as Remus scooped up the present from Narcissa.
The morning of the hearing, Harry lay in his bed staring at his ceiling; he was nervous about the upcoming day. As they had explained last night, he knew the hearing would not be a massive thing, but he could still be expelled from Hogwarts. Finally, deciding sleep would not come, he got up, pulling a dressing gown over his sleepwear. Stumbling downstairs, Harry found that everyone was up in the dining room. Sirius was pouring himself a coffee from the sideboard, but everyone else was at the table.
"Good morning, Harry," Narcissa welcomed the boy as he sat opposite Ted Tonks, dressed in muggle jeans and a tee.
"Good morning, Narcissa, though I'm not so sure there is anything good about it," Harry grunted.
"This is a small hearing, the three of you worked out your strategy last night, so I am sure you will come home ready for Hogwarts." Harry had noticed in the last week or two that the woman had taken to calling Hárasteorra Hall home, and to be honest, he liked having the woman about. Once you got past the cold exterior, she was quite the loving mother who doted on Draco. She had taken to mothering him, too, something he was enjoying. Narcissa was utterly different from the sometimes-overbearing Mrs Weasley.
"Remember to use your Occlumency, weak as it is. Do not show them how you feel, do not let them get the satisfaction," Draco added, insulting him in the process. Harry, however, just sighed at the insult, taking in the other advice.
"Have you seen the paper today?" Remus asked a little nervously.
"Not yet. What is happening?" Harry frowned at the man.
"Fudge's grip on the Prophet is slipping," Sirius murmured.
"They reported the death of your classmate, Justin Finch-Fletchly, by Werewolf," Remus admitted.
"That is another Muggle-Born killed," Narcissa added; everyone looked up at her. "But sadly, they are leaving out some facts."
"What do you mean?"
"I overheard things and still have my own sources in the ministry, a third-year by the name of Jones was killed with her family a few weeks ago, and a fifth-year Gryffindor also died at the hands of Death Eaters, though nothing has been published,"
"Voldemort" (everyone shuddered) "is targeting muggle-borns, but the government want to bury their heads in the sand," Harry snarled.
"Once this hearing is over, we will look into this further," Sirius promised his son.
"What are your plans today?" Harry asked whether trying to distract himself from the deaths or the hearing, no one knew.
"I have been summoned by my husband to meet him at the Ministry," Narcissa replied casually, but everyone stiffened.
"I thought Lucius knew you were in France with Draco?" Sirius asked, taking a seat next to Remus at the head of the table.
"I mailed him last week to say we were back in the country staying with friends, so we could collect Draco's stuff from Diagon Alley without it being suspicious," she answered.
"Very clever," Remus muttered.
"When do you think we will get our letters?" Draco mused aloud.
"It should be sometime this week," Remus suggested.
"How will we get our letters if we are hidden?" the blond asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"All letters are sent to a Gringotts dropbox, then one of the Elves goes and collects it," was the reply from Remus explaining Harry's mail a bit more, especially after he received presents from his so-called friends.
"I wondered why Hedwig did not really leave the grounds of Hárasteorra Hall, but why haven't I received any letters from my friends?" Harry looked between Remus and Sirius, who looked down into their bowl of porridge.
"Dumbledore!" Sirius mumbled.
"What? I did not hear you?"
"Dumbledore gave the order at the start of the summer that no one was to message you for your own safety," Sirius grimaced, waiting for the explosion, then rushed on, "the Goblins also told us you had a mail redirect on you in our last meeting with them."
"What the fucking hell!" Harry swore for the first time, slamming his fist down on the table.
"Watch your language, young man. You are not too big to be bent over my knee," Narcissa told him, looking scandalised. He immediately felt shame, then noticed Draco and Sirius were trying not to laugh. Silence followed for several minutes as everyone ate their breakfast.
"So, Black, who do you think will be the fifth-year Prefects for the Houses?" Draco spoke a little too cheerily.
"As long as it's not you," Harry shot back with his own grin; the table sighed a little before relaxing.
"I am fairly sure it will be me, but what do you reckon of the Gryffindors? What about big boobs?" Draco forgot where he was until he cried out in pain as his mother slapped his head.
"That is it. You are both grounded until we go to Diagon Alley," Narcissa told them sternly.
"Yes, Ma'am," the pair of them intoned.
"I think it will be Neville and Hermione," Harry said quietly.
"Well, Nev cannot be as bad as Remus. He was so uptight when he was a Prefect," Sirius tried to lighten the mood.
"I was not! How many pranks did you and James get away with?" Remus spoke up indignantly.
"Far too many," Narcissa said with the patience of a saint, "Especially when they were aimed at the Slytherins."
"But they make the best targets," Sirius pouted, trying to make puppy dog eyes at his cousin.
"I swear, one moment, you are a normal adult, then the next, you are a child!" Narcissa grumbled.
"Because he is a child!" Remus called out.
"Very funny, you lot always pick on me," the marauder started acting like a petulant child. Ted Tonks had watched the whole exchange and was trying not to laugh at them. Harry looked up at the clock before swallowing his porridge which had suddenly become cement in his mouth.
"I am going to go have a shower before we have to leave," Harry suggested, his voice betraying him. The mood in the room dimmed as they all wished him a bit of good luck as Ted followed him upstairs to the guest room.
Thirty minutes later, Harry found himself in his father's study, looking at the taller man. Sirius brushed off some lint from his shoulders, inspecting him. Harry wore smart trousers, a shirt, and a grey jumper similar to school clothes, but much nicer. Over the top, he wore a black cloak with a blue border identical to the Black family Colours, which were surprisingly not black. On his left breast was the Black Family sigil, which was glamoured until the right moment.
"What will you be doing today?" Harry asked nervously as they waited on Ted, though they were still early for the hearing.
"Actually, I am going to visit Grimmauld Place. Must make an appearance, especially on the day my godson has his hearing,"
"What are they saying about it?" He was anxious to hear news about his friends.
"Fred and George are making their usual jokes, and Hermione has been using the 'safe' books in the library to try to help you."
"That's Hermione, all right; she's such a good friend." Again, Sirius noticed the blush on the teen's face, but this time decided not to say anything about it.
"What about Ron?" Harry asked eagerly but noticed Sirius trying not to look away.
"He has not really said much, to be honest," the Animagus answered a little bit too quickly, but before Harry could question him further, Ted knocked on the door. He also was dressed smartly in black robes and a briefcase under his arm.
"Are you ready to go?" He smiled at the teen, trying to put him at ease. Harry took a deep breath before his 'Malfoy mask,' as he called it, was put on.
"I am ready," Harry answered. Ted moved over to the fireplace and took a pinch of Floo powder.
"Ministry of Magic, Atrium!" Ted called out. Sirius pulled the teen into one last hug before letting Harry follow his lawyer through the fireplace. Harry emerged into the atrium of the Ministry out of a gilded fireplace. Opposite them, witches and wizards were leaving the Ministry through another series of fireplaces. Harry only noticed the highly polished dark wood floor as he was too caught up in his thoughts. Harry was led to the security desk, where his wand was weighed, and he received a receipt from the bored security guard.
"As we're early, I wish to visit a couple of friends," Ted told his new client. So, he led them towards the lifts, which were pretty smug.
"What level?" a House-elf grunted.
"Level two, please," Ted told the creature with a smile. Ten minutes later, they emerged from the lift onto the Department of Magical Law enforcement. "This will be where you have your hearing, probably in front of Mafalda Hopkirk and four others, including a representative from the educational board and someone from Hogwarts,"
The corridor was shaped like a T. Ted pointed to the left where several rooms were. First, he led Harry straight down past a set of heavy oak doors, which read: Auror Office above it. Harry wanted to get a glimpse because he was considering it as a career. Harry, though, was led straight past that to a door which read Wizengamot Administration Services. Inside was a small room, which held about four or five cubicles in it.
"Hello, Ted, what brings you down here?" a female voice asked. Harry noticed a busty blond grinning at the man.
"Just visiting, Vera. Thought I'd show my nephew around," Ted threw out casually. "I've got a case later today."
"Oh, I hope it's not cancelled. A big court case in Court Ten today is taking up all the Wizengamot," Vera gossiped with the man.
"I hadn't heard about that. Have they caught Sirius Black then?" Ted asked casually, "Court Ten, that is serious. They only ever use that for the full meetings once a month."
"No, Sirius hasn't been caught." Vera laughed.
"I heard it was to do with Harry Potter," another secretary suggested.
"Really? I bet that will be interesting," Ted said, keeping his voice steady. "I would love to be in the gallery for that. Can you check the parchment work for me, love?"
"Oh, you're such a sweety; no wonder Andromeda snagged you," Vera giggled like a schoolgirl, then began looking through the parchment on her desk. "Here it is, Courtroom Ten, British Ministry of Magic versus Harry Potter, scheduled for 9 am this morning."
"You are an absolute angel, perhaps a box of Honeydukes Chocolate for you, but if I want to get in there, we'd best leave now," Ted told them with a smile. They heard the girls talking about the chocolate Vera might be getting as the door closed. This time the lift was empty as they got in to take them to Level nine-Department of Mysteries. Once they reached the Level, Ted pulled Harry into a side corridor, then down a set of stairs to Level Ten, the courtrooms.
"I thought you said it would be a small Hearing?" Harry squeaked.
"Calm down, Harry. I need you to put your Malfoy Mask on," Ted told him, getting a small laugh out of the boy. As Ted talked through a few last-minute instructions, Harry calmed down before putting on his stoic face. Once they were ready, Ted looked at the time seeing it was two minutes to nine. He quickly guided Harry through the corridors until they reached a door guarded by Aurors. Harry saw 'Accused' written above the wooden doors.
"Who are you?" one of the Aurors asked.
"This is Harry Potter, and I am his lawyer, Ted Tonks," the man told them, showing the pair his credentials.
"You are late," one of the Aurors said as Harry heard Fudge speak.
"Good morning, ladies and Gentlemen, Lords and Ladies, we are here today, the Twelfth day of August Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Five, to determine the guilt of Harry James Potter for the use of underage magic and breaking the Statute of Secrecy."
"Yes, but as you can see, we are needed there now," Tonks argued. They heard a muffled noise, and then the Minister of Magic spoke again.
"Yes, Delores." Fudge said patiently.
"It seems the criminal has absconded without even coming to his trial" a few murmurs ran through the crowd at the use of criminal. Harry was really starting to get worried at this point.
"Now, stand aside and let me through. I will be speaking to Madam Bones about this," Ted said. Reluctantly the two Aurors stood aside, opening the doors for them. They entered; on either side were stands as they moved into the courtroom. The door closed behind the pair as Harry noticed a chair with chains next to a table.
"Ah, then we shall continue and lay the charges in the boy's absence." Fudge sounded almost gleeful. "You may lay down the charges, Madam Bones."
"Harry James Potter is accused of using magic in front of one Dudley Dursley, a Muggle, on 10th July nineteen-ninety-five. As Mr Potter was only fourteen then, he is underage and has also broken the Statute of Secrecy." Bones concluded. He had his first look as the Wizengamot. A clerk was near the floor in front of Minister Fudge, an elderly man, and a woman in an ugly pink jumper. Behind them sat six chairs, each with a coat of arms. He picked out the Black Coat of Arms on the gilded central chairs. Three of the other chairs were occupied; the chairs reached right back behind them.
"As the…eh hem…accused is not here, we shall vote in his absence for the use of magic in front of a Mug-" Minister Fudge spoke, and Harry narrowed his eyes, now angry.
"Surely, Minister, I have a right to defend myself before you ask for a judgement," Harry addressed the crowd before Ted could stop him.